Army Ranger Briggs (Tatum) is messed up with head trauma and PTSD after his service in Afghanistan. He’s begging to re-up, but can’t get permission from his supervisor. He makes such a pest of himself, the captain sends him on a mission, and if he completes it successfully, Briggs will get what he wants. How much the officer has insight into the value of his charge is unclear. At any rate, Briggs is supposed to take the Army Ranger dog named Lulu that belonged to his fallen brother Riley to the man’s funeral down in Arizona, where the dog is to be honored for his exemplary service.
Before Briggs leaves for Arizona with dog in tow and during the trip, we get a picture of the man, as well as the dog. He knows nothing about dogs or the power of persuasion, so he is in for a sometimes brutal trip, trying to use his bluster and macho personality to get the dog to behave and obey him. Lulu can attack at any time with her sharp teeth and boxer-like paws. She protests mightily to being left in the car and will run away the first chance she gets.
Final Thought
And you thought a car trip with kids was trying! Get a look at Lulu! It’s amazing how she and the main character are able to make her therapeutic.